IT'S BEGINNING TO SOUND A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS...

This "Lighting of the Commons" thing is catching on...and it's really neat.  We were blessed with calm, cool weather the other night.  Just right for hot chocolate, lights, and the energy of a college campus.  

And of course, a little New Reign:

RANDOM THINGS I LEARNED AT THANKSGIVING...

FROM MY COLLEGE SON:  Do you know the population of Japan has so many aged people that sales of adult diapers have surpassed baby diapers?

FROM MY SISTERS-IN-LAW:  Never admit that you don't do dishes without dishwashing gloves. (I am usually the food putter upper and table setter)  But I think I know what they are getting me for Christmas this year!   :(

FROM MY DAUGHTER'S BOYFRIEND:  Guys with dreadlocks can be extremely sweet and polite.

FROM MY GREAT NEPHEW:  Spit-up always happens when you are wearing a new scarf.

FROM MY BROTHER-IN-LAW:  It's okay to reveal that someone's pregnant during a prayer!

FROM MY OTHER BROTHER-IN-LAW:  Preachers aren't necessarily compassionate card players.

FROM MY 13 YR OLD NEPHEW:  Pink casts are cool.

FROM GOD:  My mouth still gets me into trouble sometimes!

THANKFUL FOR THE OLD AND THE NEW...

A new mascot on the Thanksgiving dessert table - so ugly he's cute!

New babies added to the family

New desserts to try...

Old favorites like playing Liverpool Rummy

and Pumpkin Bashing

Eating at a new place on the way home...

And a new one joining us for the weekend!

It was another good holiday - different without my father-in-law, but still such a blessing!  I missed his rolls and his love of domino playing and yes even the fussing back and forth between them trying to remember all the little details of how to get the Thanksgiving meal together.  But it was good.  God is good!

BUT I'M NOT READY TO REMODEL...

This past weekend was packed with lots of little things...like my husband wanting to start remodeling another bathroom!  I'm just not ready...since the last one took us 9 months.  :)

I convinced him that if we took out these doors the bathroom would instantly look better.

 Of course, I was right!  Why didn't we do this years ago???

 I had made this orange shower curtain to cover up those doors a while back,  but it just felt a lot better and cleaner with those doors off!

He installed this curved rod

and a new shower head!

 Hard for me to think about redoing this bathroom because I let my daughter redecorate it about 7 years ago.  She and her friend painted  neon green over the wall paper and we re-framed the mirrors with noodles!  Just kinda fun!

While he was busy working on that I was out and about, and won this cool bag at my friend's Creative Memories Open House!

Sunday, the hubs took his CORE group from church out to the shooting range!

                                               They started off here with some good eats...

 Cheeseburgers!  Kinda thankful it doesn't take much to impress the boys...

Other news:   I wanted to show you that even my Christmas Cactus is ahead of the game!  Isn't it gorgeous?  I just love it!

6:54 A.M.......

Thankful.  No other words needed for this masterpiece!

TRANSFORMING POWER...

Once again I am blessed with new insights through my women's Bible study - we've been in Acts since September and really focusing on the beginnings of the church.  The church's beginnings are fascinating with some unique things happening through the Holy Spirit.  Unfortunately it also involves persecution but that is what helped the Word spread.  Jesus really was the Christ, the awaited Messiah who came to save the world.
 
We just studied Saul's transformation- such an incredible turnaround in his life - which I think could really only happen with his trust in God and the Holy Spirit working in his life!  We  discussed how three people helped him with reconciliation.  Stephen, Ananias, and Barnabus all played an important role in Saul's life:  Stephen, who had spoken the word BOLDLY and died a death of stoning because of it, may have planted some seeds in Saul, the zealous Jew who stood nearby holding the coats of those who killed him.  He asked God to forgive them - including Saul standing there.  Stephen saw the Son of Man and proclaimed it, and I'm sure Saul heard that and remembered it a few days later when he saw Jesus in the light on the road to Damascus.  Ananias, an old respected leader and Christian was asked to go lay hands on Saul to restore his sight and give him the Holy Spirit.  He questioned God and was afraid of Saul, but he was OBEDIENT.  I'm sure the old man gave comfort and credibility to the transformed man.  Then there's Barnabus.  When everybody else was hearing about Saul and probably thinking this was some kind of cruel trick, Barnabus BEFRIENDS Saul and accompanies him, introducing him to other Christians and smoothing the way.

It was another good lesson for me to contemplate:  am I anything like these men, putting my faith into practice?  Am I helping others transform?  Am I like Stephen, speaking with BOLDNESS?  So filled with the Holy Spirit that nothing will scare me?  Or Ananias (well I'm getting older that's for sure) with an OBEDIENT heart, even though questioning the situation?  Or Barnabus, the good FRIEND who vouches for someone who needs it?  Stands by and even travels with someone promoting the gospel? All of this can be overwhelming but we aren't alone!  We have the Holy Spirit with us too, if we are baptized believers!

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. 

 I Peter 4:10

SOME DAYS ARE JUST LIKE THIS...

And I'll join the Thankfulness bandwagon and say how thankful I am for a husband who comes and picks up the pieces, THEN makes something else and gets it to my luncheon on time.

WHAT A MAN!

EVEN A NON-COFFEE DRINKER LIKE ME LIKES THIS...

At the shower Saturday, one of the hostesses brought a delicious Cappuccino punch that everyone just LOVED.  I even liked it, and I'm not a coffee drinker.  We buy hot chocolate when we go to Starbucks!  She left me the leftovers and I wasn't sure what to do with it (even though I liked it I probably wouldn't drink that much more) and then the light bulb went on - I could freeze it - better yet freeze it into cubes!  It adds a creamy, rich taste to instant hot cocoa or is pretty good just on it's own, as my son says.  Here's the recipe if you want to try making it yourself:

CAPPUCCINO punch (from my friend JoAnn)

Coffee, 20 cups

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream (she used Bluebell Homemade Vanilla)

1/2 gallon chocolate ice cream (she used Bluebell)

1 cup French Vanilla Coffeemate

Make 20 cups of coffee.  While still hot, add sugar and dissolve.  Cool and chill.  Put ice cream in a punch bowl and smash with potato masher.  Slowly pour in coffee.  Stir in Coffeemate.  Serve immediately.

MY ALL-STATER WITH NO FASHION SENSE...

You may wonder why I let him out of the house in this...but the Vocal Music All-State tryouts are not about fashion!  The students are never seen (only heard behind a screen) by the judges, thus the ridiculous outfit!  He made it through round 1 several weeks ago in Enid, then came out of round two victorious this weekend. Congrats to my baby!  It is a gift from the Lord and many years of piano, guitar, dedicated vocal music teachers, and practice .  I'm a proud momma of 3 All-Staters in Vocal Music!

Encourage your children to use their gifts from the Lord!

OUR LIVES INTERTWINE...

I was so tickled to get to host this shower!  For one reason, the groom is my husband's second cousin.  Another, because I babysat the two sisters of the bride 32 years ago when they lived here!  Their family lived here, then moved to Texas long ago, and had baby Ashley (the bride) there.  So  imagine my surprise when I realized who my husband's cousin was marrying!  Somehow, even though I hadn't kept in touch with this family, we made connections and I realized they were the family I had babysat for so long ago.  Pretty neat.  

It was a good shower:

I was excited to use 6 pieces of my Grandma's amber glass on the table.  Looked so pretty for fall!

Another hostess made this beautiful afghan!

Ashley's sisters made this crafty LOVE sign for her new home.  Really cute.

And as you can see, all the Halloween finally got put away and the shower  went on despite not getting a new light fixture in the entryway hung!  Nice to have a clean house.  Just hope I can get ahead of the game now before the holidays!

MY MESS...

Here's another fine mess I've gotten myself into...

try to do too much before hosting a shower Saturday! You might think a lady who just volunteers and has only one kid left at home might have lots of time on her hands but between being sick, a fall concert, Bible study, voting, exercising, bunko, and...

 Puttin up Halloween

 Trying to figure out what to put in place of the humongous aquarium we no longer need...

 Finding and unpacking about 50 pieces of my Grandma's amber glass- and of course, about 45 of the pieces don't really work for the shower

 Unloading the dishwasher and refilling it and continuing to make messes

And having a frustrating time trying to replace this old light fixture - no simple task with an 18 foot entry.  I mean even the lighting store won't install the fancy schmancy one I was going to buy from them!  Apparently I have to hire an electrician.  Stink!  Not happening before Saturday morning...

Can you tell I'm a little stressed???  Self-induced, AGAIN.

Time to go on a WALK.  Happy Friday, everybody!




(Hope you clicked on the link at the beginning - one of my favorite old movie quotes!)

SO AMID THE CONFLICT...

whether great or small,

Do not be discouraged

God is over all!

Count your many blessings

Angels will attend

Help and comfort give you

To your journey's end

Count your blessings

Name them one by one

Count your blessings

See what God has done

Count your blessings

Name them one by one

Count your many blessings

See what God has done!

(Johnson Oatman, Jr. 1897)

With all the political ranting over Obama and Mitt, a friend's marriage dissolving, many sweet people I know and look up to as parent figures in the hospital, a friend's financial worries, I have to stop and remember to count my blessings once again.  This verse of an old song came to me. Even when things don't go our way, we can still list numerous blessings both physically and spiritually!  Recently one of our ministers mentioned he was going to start a list of 10,000 blessings in his life.  Quite a number!  But if you're a writer and take the time to do it, I'm sure it can be done.

Blessings to you today wherever you are in your journey.  Take some time and thank God for the way he has worked in your life and for understanding and patience as you look ahead.

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands,you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.  James 4:8

A BURIAL, A CONCERT, A MUSICAL...

Saturday was a pretty full day for us.  We said goodbye to our 15 year old turtle, Tiny.  Not sure, but I guess he died of old age.  I've always liked turtles - had one when I was a kid but secretly I confess I'm a little excited I can finally get rid of that humongous aquarium!

My youngest son has never really remembered life without a turtle in the house.  He said he would give a 16 minute eulogy.  I told him 16 seconds was enough.  He was quite eloquent on the spur of the moment.  Made me a proud mama!

We went to a New Reign Reunion Concert featuring New Reign members past and present singing lots of great songs - here's a sample ( our son second from left):

Then we watched the homecoming musical at OC - Seussical!  It was really entertaining, especially with my friend Kalee playing the Sour Kangaroo!

All the fun stuff at the end of the day made up for the sad occasion earlier.  But we have confidence that Tiny the turtle has gone to that beautiful pond in the sky!  :)

36 HOURS IN TEXAS...

Started off with this:  Yummy goodness with tiny chocolate truffles!

Shopping at Canton Trade Days with my sister-in-laws!

OOPS - that's not one of my relatives - just some of the fascinating people you see...

Including us with our little shopping cart- these things are all over the place!

My niece had to stop and play a game with a salesman- couldn't hardly tear her away!  HA  I guess I should have bought her one for Christmas!

We all stayed at  my brother and sister-in-law's house in Frisco - ate some Chili and played some cards. It was fast and furious, but a lot of fun!  Good times.